Curried Cauliflower and Farro Salad

As January continues to chug along at its strange, tense pace, I’m trying to remember that nourishing myself with good food is a great response. It’s true, nothing we do can undo what has been done but eating food like this salad might make it more manageable.

We all know what’s happened in DC and what continues to happen across the country. That doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the small victories and moments. For me, that meant getting all of my upper cabinets painted in our kitchen. This is a project we’ve been working on for almost a year, and still have a long way to go, but finishing that task felt great.

Last week was consumed by what the past administration and leadership incited. It was yet another collective trauma for us all. While it will take time to heal from that trauma, this week is all about new beginnings and opportunities. We will have a new president sworn in on Wednesday and that gives us an opportunity to heal on a national level. On a personal level, maybe there are areas where we can heal ourselves.

Acts of love and nonviolence don’t have to be limited to others, we can practice on ourselves. Accepting ourselves for all our strengths and weaknesses, superlatives and flaws is a huge act of nonviolence and self-care. This practice, as cheesy as it may seem, pays off down the road. When we’re able to accept ourselves as we are, at this moment, we can do the same for those who may be different than us or our tribe.

It’s Monday morning. We have the whole week ahead of us and we’re so lucky for that. I hope you make this salad sometime and I hope you find small victories to celebrate this week.

Curried Cauliflower and Farro Salad

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 onion, halved and sliced in 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
salt to taste
4 cups loosely packed spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 shallot, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 Fresno chili, minced
2 cups cooked farro

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 and toss the cauliflower and onion with olive oil, curry powder, and salt. Spread the mixture evenly on a large baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice, shallot, parsley, and fresno chili. Add the spinach and gently fold in. Add the the cauliflower mixture and cooked farro and stir until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

For today’s post, I’m sharing a green bean salad I made for friends a few weeks ago. After a long, strenuous summer on Cabbage Island, and a sudden loss of a close cousin, I needed a way to heal my battered soul. Gathering with a few close friends and cooking all day seemed like it would do the trick. We drank wine, ate things like Honey-Ricotta Bruschetta, and this green bean salad with blue cheese and walnuts. It’s a simple salad, really, but the flavors are big, whole, and comforting. As far as preparations go, the recipe is straight forward and simple.

With the holidays approaching, I’m thinking about what we’ll have at the table. There will be turkey, sweet potatoes, and stuffing. For Christmas, there will likely be beef tenderloin, greens, and scalloped potatoes. But what matters to me, no matter how cliché this may sound, are the people around the table. After losing my cousin Glenn, I’ve had time to reflect and think about the importance of being with those you love. Certainly, this year will look different for everyone. Some of us may not be coming home for the holidays, some may be alone. I do hope that wherever you end up for the holidays this year, that you think of those you love with warmth and tenderness.

Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Ingredients

2lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Toss the green beans, garlic, shallots, and olive oil in a large bowl and spread evenly on a large cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake 20-30 minutes or until tender with a slight bite.

3. Remove the beans and scoop them into a bowl. Toss the walnuts onto the same cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes, or until fragrant and toasted.

4. Toss the green beans with the vinegar and blue cheese and walnuts. Serve warm or room temperature.

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts, like beets, get a bad rap. My dad is one example of the knee-jerk reaction people tend to have to the delightful little cruciferous cuties. This recipe aims to convert haters to lovers. It is easy, light and satisfying. Oh, and there's bacon to really make it divine. 

Bacon Confit Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

3 slices bacon
1 lb brussels sprouts, washed and halved
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450

2. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Reduce heat and cook slowly to render the fat. Cook until crispy, remove from pan, cool, crumble and set aside.

3. Add the brussels sprouts to the pan and toss with the rendered bacon fat. Cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and toss.

4. Pour the brussels sprout mixture to a large cookie sheet and arrange in an even single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, stir and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender. Remove from oven and toss with the crumbled bacon.